USAF Photo of the Day: B-2 Stealth Bomber Demos Vapor Cloud Technique for the F-15E Strike Eagle

United States Air Force Week in Photos - July 8, 2005 ^ | July 2005 | Technical Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo

[EnjoyingLife]

July 2005: USAF B-2 Spirit with vapor cloud and two USAF F-15E Strike Eagles fly in formation over the Pacific Ocean.
Andersen Air Force Base, Territory of Guam, USA

Photographer
Technical Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo, 36th Communication Squadron, 36th Air Expeditionary Wing, United States Air Force

Sources
http://www.af.mil/weekinphotos/050708-01.html
http://www.af.mil/media/photodb/photos/060707-F-3961R-003.jpg

B-2 Stealth version of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean"
http://linkfilter.net/?id=94946

[ChadGore]

Wow ! TY . . makes a great desktop.

[Northern Yankee]

Outstanding...

Thanks EL!

[llevrok]

I was in Boston on July 4 a few years ago. A B2 flew over the town's celebration.

It was HUGE and "wow's" broke out everywhere.

Quite a sight!

[skinkinthegrass]

KEWL! :D

[GrandEagle]

F-15.... My favorite bird!
I missed the E's though. A's, B's, & C's when I was in.

[PoorMuttly]

Muttly NEED this!!!

[SmithL]

I do miss Pop Goes the 4th!

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[Steely Tom]

The dome shape of the vapor cloud is pretty much identical to that shown in those "how an airplane wing produces lift" diagrams I remember as a kid. Well before there were computerized finite-element models, etc. Guess those guys were pretty smart back then.

[TXnMA]

All-wing lift -- illustrated.

Thanks -- nice photo!

[dhs12345]

Thought kids were flying a big black kite in the park behind our house. Realized it was the B2 as it approached our house and flew over. An impressive site.

[Steely Tom]

GMTA!

(steely)

[llevrok]

Boston is the place! Get there by the second. All sorts of stuff is going on. A great family vacation.

[sit-rep]

wonderin' what it would look like breaking the sound barrier!!

[SuziQ]

I saw one of the Blue Angels do that vapor cloud thing during a practice session several years ago. MOST cool!

[GreyFriar]

Bomber ping

[Big Digger]

I don't think the B-2 has supersonic capability.

[edcoil]

None got there via the E.E.O.C.

[Yo-Yo]

I don't think the B-2 has supersonic capability.

Your thinking is correct. However, the vapor cloud being demonstrated is not from supersonic shockwave, such as you might have seen with Navy F-14s or F/A-18s.

Planes fly by creating lower air pressure above the wings than below, and if the atmospheric condtions are just right, the lower pressure will cause humidity in the air to condense, just as you see here.